Book-lock



(No Model.)

B. E. ROGERS. BOOK LOOK.

No. 536,659. Patented Apr. 2, 1895.

@0' I" @meak \QA .(wu ex s, :5 0% o%&. 6% km NITED STATES PATENT PriestBOOK- LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,659, dated April 2,1895.

Application filed December 18, 1894. Serial No. 532,257. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of NewLondon, State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Locks, whichimprovements are fully set forth and described in they followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, strong, cheap andserviceable lock for books which, while effective when in use, may beremoved'when no longer needed and may also be adjusted to, and usedwith, books of various sizes.

It is frequently desired to use books of accounts in public places wherethe contents of the same are exposed unless provided with some form ofprotection. Most commonly such books, after use, are placed in a safe orin a vault until again called into use. My present invention makes itpossible to leave such books in exposed places, as for example on desksin offices, or on counters in stores, with perfect safety.

Toexplain the said invention more clearly I have provided the annexeddrawing which illustrates, in perspective, a book having my improvedlocking device attached thereto. Referring now particularly to thisdrawing the lettera denotes a strip of thin sheet metal or likematerial, bent as shown into substantially the outline of an equilateraltriangle. At a point forming one of the angles of said triangle the endsof strip a are linked to-' gether by means of a ring I). Said ends aresecured to the ring I) by being passed therethrough and then folded backand secured to the strip a by means of rivets a, as will be readilyunderstood. At each of the other two bends of strip a is a ring 1),similar to the ring b, thus providing a ring at each angle.

In assembling my device two of the triangles provided with rings asdescribed, are re quired and the same are secured together by means ofchains or the like flexible articles, in such manner that each ring bb'of one triangle will be secured to its corresponding ring of thecompanion triangle. It will now be seen that the rings bb are arrangedin three pairs, as follows:one pair of the rings 27 and two pairs of therings 1). To connect said triangles as above mentioned I have se= vcuredto one ring of each pair of the rings I), both ends of a chain c whichlatter also passes through the ring I) which is the companion of thering to which the chain ends are attached. It will now be readily seenthat the chains 0 and rings I) serve to fasten together the twotriangles a. Said triangles are further secured together by means of achain 61 one end of which is fastened to one of the rings 1) from whichsaid chain passes to the companion ring b. To secure chain (1 to thelast mentioned ring said chain is passed therethrough andthen turnedback upon, and secured to, itself, by means of an ordinary padlock e thehasp of which passes through the links of the chain as shown.

When it is desired to use my device in connection with a book thetriangles a are first placed on each side thereof. Each chain c iscapable of forming two loops and when the triangles are in the positionabove mentioned the loops of one chain are arranged to pass across thetop and front edges of the book andthose of the other chain across thebottom and front edges, the said loops of each chain when thus inposition being substantially at right angles to each other. The chain (1secured to one of the rings 1) is now passed from said ring around theback of the book and through the companion ring b, thus drawing thetriangles rearwardly and correspondingly tightening the loops of thechains 0. When the Various parts are drawn together as tightly asdesired the chain d is secured to itself by means of pad-lock as alreadyfully explained.

When the various elements are in the positions just described it will beunderstood that any attempt to open the book would be unsuccessful. Thebook is therefore securely locked and cannot be opened without firstreleasing the chain (1.

Because of the particular manner of securing the chains 0 to the rings19 the loops formed by said chains need not be of the same size, as saidloops will readily adjust themselves to accommodate books of varyingsizes.

While I have shown my device as provided with triangles having ringsmounted thereon I do not wish to be understood as confining myself tothisparticular construction as it is evident that a fiat piece of metalcould be as well employed having holes cut therein corresponding to therings b-b' thus dispensing with said rings entirely and it Will also beevident that other devices might be substituted for the chains employedbut the complete device is shown and described as of my preferred formof construction.

My device as a Whole may be very cheaply produced. Itisverysiinpleinitsconstruction and operation and when not in use may be packed in a verysmall compass.

Having now described my invention, I claim A book lock, consisting oftwo strips of thin materal, each being bentinto a substantiallytriangular shape and having its ends passed through a ring and doubledback upon itself and secured thereto, a pair of rings loosely 20' of theend of the chain, substantially as set go forth.

ERNEST E. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. WILLIAMS, W. B. DIBBLE.

